TORONTO – Patrick Husbands dispelled any doubts about his form following his recent four-month injury layoff, when he snatched two of the three big money races at Woodbine racetrack over the weekend.
The 40-year-old Barbadian, who only returned to the saddle on September 13 after breaking two bones in his leg and fracturing his ankle in a fall on May 20, snatched the CAN$150 000 (BDS$291 074) Grade 3 Mazarine Stakes on Saturday with Madly Truly before returning on Sunday to pick up the $155 100($301 000) Grade 3 Durham Cup with James Street.
For Husbands, the added money wins were his first since triumphs back in the opening weeks of the Woodbine season when he captured the Woodstock Stakes with Dan the Tin Man in April, and the Fury Stakes with Spring in the Air and the Ballade Stakes with Bear’s Gem in May.
Sunday’s success especially, brought back memories of vintage Husbands as he romped to four victories overall on the ten-race card, including two for Barbadian trainer Ricky Griffith.
In addition to the Durham win in race eight, Husbands claimed race two with favourite Over the Cliff and race five with 21-1 long shot On With the Show, both mounts sent out by Griffith.
He rounded off the day by steering the outstanding Sid Attard’s three-year-old filly Derek’s Darling to a resounding win over the three-year-old upward fillies and mares, going six furlongs.
However, it was in the Durham that Husbands captured the eye, rallying the 6-1 bet James Street late to reach the wire 1-1/4 lengths clear.
Husbands raced the six-year-old off the pace set by Delegation, who covered the half-mile in 47.70 seconds, before closing well on the turn and bidding inside the final furlong.
Alpha Bettor finished second while Awesome Overture was third, with Delegation trailing in a disappointing last.
Trainer Josie Carroll was thrilled with the win and said she would have preferred no one else than Husbands for the trip over a mile and an eighth.
“I was delighted with where I was sitting today. This horse and Patrick get along very well, the horse turns off a little bit for him,” she said.
“When I saw that Alpha Bettor went with Delegation and softened him up a little bit, I was smiling.”
James Street, named after a Bridgetown thoroughfare, is owned by Barbados-based Canadian businessman Eugene Melnyk.
On Saturday, Husbands successfully defended the Mazarine with an accomplished ride aboard champion trainer Mark Casse’s Madly Truly over a mile and sixteenth.
He raced the two-year-old bay filly mid-pack before hauling in pace-setter Morant Bay deep in the stretch to get home by a length.
The victory was part of a double on Saturday’s ten-race card, as he also found the winners’ enclosure in race two with Roxy Gap for trainer Casse and owner Melnyk.
Husbands is 11th in the jockeys’ standings with 30 wins and earnings of CAN$1.5 million (BDS$2.9m). (AP)
